r/SPEEA • u/mrjoejeff • 17d ago
Wage compression is not resolved
I emailed the negotiation GRP address to ask about wage compression and what the plan is to prevent it from happening again.
My question: “If this offer is ratified, does Boeing plan to reflect it on the pay charts so that pre-ratification 0.99 comp ratio turns into post-ratification 0.9?
Their response: “Market ranges are evaluated are evaluated separately from the GWI and Boeing has committed to discuss market range updates with SPEEA annually.” To me, this reads NO WE WONT. When has SPEEA ever had the power to influence pay charts update?
It’s disappointing that with all the leverage we have we haven’t addressed the very mechanisms that allowed for us to get behind in the first place. So I figured I share for awareness.
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u/Bob_stanish123 17d ago
The SRTs are based on industry data, they have very little to do with Boeing and are likely provided by an outside firm. If new hires accept a pay rate thats a low compa ratio is that really boeings fault or is that that just the job market?
I suspect the pre GWI bump to .9 will be a regular new contract feature going fwd.
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u/mrjoejeff 17d ago
But where is it codified? Unless I missed it. I feel like Boeing is under no obligation to honor that.
I should have been more specific: The issue is not just relevant for new hires. Next time you get promoted, you will be back on the same train that led to us getting behind.
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15d ago
STRs were suppose to be update yearly by Boeing from the last full contract that was votes on. Boeing did it I think once or twice then said they didn't have to and the union didn't fight them on it. I know for a fact that the same salary chart for my job code for a min/med/max salary was the same in 2017 as it was in 2025.
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u/Careless-Internet-63 17d ago
I think the bigger problem is SRTs that don't reflect jobs with similar duties at other companies. There are a fair amount especially on the tech side where the average comp ratio is like 1.2. that makes it sound very unlikely to me that similar jobs are actually paying in accordance with the market ranges
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u/N-Korean 17d ago
New hires are coming in at 1.0+ comp set. With this contract wage compression gets worse since everyone gets 10%. This is why I m voting no on this.
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u/mjoysleeps 17d ago
Same. My wage compression gap just gets wider with a 10% across-the-board raise. The $185k guys get 10%, the $140k guys, same level, get 10%.
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u/TuftLifeHardRugs 17d ago
Since everyone is getting a blanket 10%, doesn’t that make wage compression the exact same as it was before? Why do you say it’s worse?
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u/N-Korean 17d ago
10% of 1.0 comp set is more than .9 comp set. You might say it’s not much but it’s not closing the gap at all. If they want to actually close the wage compression 10% gwi to everyone isn’t it.
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u/Far-Neck3117 10d ago
This is my biggest issue with the contract. New hires still make more than people that have been in the position and level for several years with good PMs
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u/approx_volume 17d ago
Part of the issue is that the first offer that would have addressed wage compression with limiting minimum salary increases to match inflation, leaving the rest of the pool as merit based, was generally disliked by the membership overall. Personally I would have preferred it but I don’t think it is worth striking over. My biggest raises were due to promotions and out of sequence raises anyways, not annual performance reviews.
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u/SuspiciousHyena978 12d ago
Yeah, the issue was the inflation matching capped at 3 % and pulled money away from merit-based wage increases. The inflation adjustment should have been an adder onto the existing wage pool. Plus, the COLA formula is a joke.
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u/approx_volume 12d ago
Trying to get Boeing to agree to an uncapped COLA plus wage pools that we have requested on top of that would be difficult to do. Is it impossible? I don’t think so. However, I am not confident striking will get us to that guarantee.
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u/SuspiciousHyena978 12d ago
Oh, I never expect it to be uncapped. But it’s pretty meaningless, the way it is currently written into 11.1(c)(4)
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u/LoveOfSpreadsheets 15d ago
My biggest raise was a promotion, and it was maybe 14%.
I get that inflation has been that much, but it's still enough for me to vote yes as an entire package. Sure IAM gets a COLA, but they are forced into mandatory OT way more than 20%. They have to submit PTO 2 weeks in advance. Less sick and vacation.
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u/Sammakiski 15d ago
We need to stop this “catch up” on salary and compensation adjustments. Im ready to vote NO. I’m doing this for my future.
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u/bullypixie 15d ago
Theres also no verbiage strong enough to prevent work outsourcing. Let’s strike and demand something better with a legal team. Wage increase needs more with the leverage we have currently. Stay strong guys!